In May 2025, President Donald Trump fired Carla Hayden, the first woman and first Black person to serve as Librarian of Congress, nearly a year before her 10-year term was due to end. Appointed by Barack Obama in 2016, Hayden was celebrated for modernizing the Library of Congress and expanding its collections to include more works by people of color and other underrepresented voices.
Her dismissal was sudden—announced via email—and followed sustained criticism from conservative groups who accused her of pushing “radical” children’s books and supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The White House defended the firing, saying she “did not fit the needs of the American people.” However, many lawmakers, library professionals, and advocates condemned the move as a politically motivated attack on cultural leadership and intellectual freedom.
Making matters even more tense, the Trump administration also fired the U.S. Copyright Office director the very next day, fueling wider concerns about growing political interference in institutions traditionally seen as independent and nonpartisan. For many, Hayden’s removal wasn’t just about one role, but about what kind of country America wants to be—a nation that values diverse stories and access to knowledge for all, or one that punishes those who expand the definition of who belongs.
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